


at sea.

by a1000pots (FictionDump)



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:34:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22251160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionDump/pseuds/a1000pots
Summary: a series of 100 word scenes, perhaps longer, featuring amami and saihara after the events of salmon mode.
Relationships: Amami Rantaro/Saihara Shuichi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 27





	1. smiles.

**Author's Note:**

> amami vc: haha i like you and i am expressing this in a physical way  
> shuichi vc: i don't recognize it and i think i only harbor a crush on you onesidedly  
> amami vc: i will kabedon you, shuichi saihara

“amami-kun.”

the rock of the ship is lulling. 

“mm?”

fingers card through shuichi’s hair, a gentle sort of massage that lulls shuichi’s heart to rest— even more so of than the living creaks of the boat, the living sounds of the sea that had gotten so familiar to him. moonlight shifts across amami’s face. it lights up the edges of his smile, fills them in. it’s an easy smile-- all of amami’s smiles were. shuichi finds that all of them hold a hint of genuine softness somewhere; and perhaps it reflected the way amami saw the world, in all its opportunity and adventure. 

… it wasn’t always _happy_ , though its softness reflected _pleasantry_. it’s not a bad thing, and somehow it never rings hollow. it makes shuichi’s heart skip a beat, makes him wonder how he’d gotten into amami’s good graces— what a lucky man he was, to be able to be … here. head in amami’s lap, amami’s fingers in his hair, in the comfort of a couch on one of amami’s ships. despite the crash of the waves outside that could no doubt rip them to shreds… he was safe and warm, here.

… 

“looks like you’re thinking quite a bit, saihara-kun.”  
“ah…”

a calloused hand shifts, to tuck hair behind shuichi’s ear, and that smile is soft and full of amusement. shuichi can’t help a blush rise to his cheeks, but he collects his words despite his racing heart. 

“i was… looking through some leads we had.”

this … is a working relationship. amami’s hand stills in his hair, then leaves as shuichi hands him the social media photo he’d called up. it’s a selfie, but in the background— a familiar mop of hair and face is seen, with a heavy traveller’s backpack.

“i think your sisters like traveling too, amami-kun.”  
“haha. i guess they do, huh?”

a wistful sort of voice, a wistful sort of smile. it’s a rare one. a hurt that couldn’t be hidden by a thin veneer of amusement. shuichi shifts away as amami stands up, lifting himself up into a sitting position— amami rubs at his eyes as he moves to the laptop, turning it on. there’s a determination in his eyes. 

it’s a determination that shuichi can’t let down.

“definitely recognize that place.”

a voice that’s tired, but full of drive, as eyes fixate on the laptop screen. amami doesn’t insult his intelligence by telling him it’s the capital of laos they’re looking for — they’d been there before.

around the world— and now back again, chasing clues that’d led to dead ends. 

shuichi stands up as rantaro rubs the back of his head and calls up the world map— a physical replica is on the wall in front of them, with pins and tacks pushed into the paper. red herrings, false tracks… a pin pushed in, then out, with all of their hopes with it…

“ah, yeah. but the picture was a week ago, so i don’t think they’d stayed there… they’re probably out of the country by now. we should chase the lead we already have… and i’ll search the airport security cameras for more recent ones. maybe she took a plane.”

… but they moved forward. it was the only way they had. 

“think that’s a solid plan. you did a great job, saihara-kun.”  
  
amami nods, then smiles. the warmth in it makes shuichi’s heart flutter. this one’s more genuine, full of hope than empty platitudes. it’s the smile shuichi works for. shuichi’s sure that his cheeks are rosy--

and shuichi smiles back.


	2. stomach bug / sea sickness.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> day 2. at sea.
> 
> cw for vomiting and being sick. nothing too graphic, though. shuichi's just sea sick.

this was not ideal.

“it’s fine, amami-kun, i—”

retching into the toilet, tears squeezing out to the corners of his eyes. amami is visibly alarmed. his hand rubs gently between shuichi’s shoulder blades with firm movements, trying to keep the nausea down; guilt weighs queasy in shuichi’s stomach, a worse feeling than the actual sickness itself. if only he could vomit that up and be rid of it. being a weight on amami’s travels is the last thing he wants to be. was not he a detective? was he not hired? he wasn’t a guest— and even if he was a guest, he wouldn’t want to be a burden like he was being now. complete control over one’s body is something that nobody has. but he wishes he could have it, dearly. amami had chosen him to be a detective on his case, and…

shuichi gags as his stomach rolls.

“don’t look like you’re fine at all.”

amami can be frighteningly perceptive when he wants to be. while shuichi being sick isn’t exactly a thing that requires a keen perception to realize, shuichi feels like the sharp tone compared to amami’s usual easygoing nature strips away all the lies and excuses building on his tongue. and yet — amami’s words are not cold. it’s a sharpness borne of worry, chiding and concerned. shuichi knows if he cared to look, amami would look concerned. maybe he should look. maybe he shouldn’t. shuichi’s not sure what’s worse. 

but despite the concern, shuichi could be stubborn, and he insists: 

“m..maybe not, b…but i think i’ll be okay.”

…

_“…saihara-kun.”_

a sigh, from amami. it’s heavy and weary, and perhaps worn with the practice of dealing with too many stubborn sisters.

 _you’re not fooling anyone,_ amami’s tone seems to say. and shuichi has to be imagining it, but it also seems to hold a message of _please let me help_. it’s not a reassurance that shuichi can let himself lean into. amami had already been far too kind-- the sole fact that he was able to travel around the world with amami was a privilege that shuichi appreciated, and the more he imposed on amami’s kindness, the more shuichi felt that he needed to step up his game— which he was trying to, but he felt like he was failing every time. even now… they were only a few days into the expedition, and…

he was sick.

“stay put, yeah? think i have some medication.” 

shuichi looks up in alarm, but the sudden jerk of his head makes his head spin and amami’s face double.

“you.. really don’t ha—”

a single expression from amami silences him. shuichi still can’t quite focus, but he knows what it is. it’s a smile he’d seen several times, one of vague annoyance and disapproval— if amami wasn’t rubbing shuichi’s back, no doubt he would have had his hands on his hips. 

“don’t think you’re in a position to complain. stop talking, yeah? you’re making yourself worse. be right back.”

amami’s hand leaves him before shuichi can protest, leaving him wishing that warmth was still there.

it really would just pass, shuichi thinks. it’s just… him being unused to boats and travel and eating exotic foods— his body is not made for extensive travel, and he has simply not molded himself to adventure yet, not to the level of familiarity that amami seemed to take on the world. the porcelain of the toilet is cold, and he weakly reaches up to flush it. 

he takes the medication when amami comes back with a pill and some water, gulping it down and leaning on the wall behind him.

“… thank you.”

there’s no use denying amami’s hospitality when it’s offered. that’s partly the only reason he accepts.

“you’re pretty stubborn when you want to be, aren’t you?”

the observation comes as shuichi lifts his head to finally focus properly on amami’s face. shuichi manages to crack a small smile, rueful.

“it would have passed, amami-kun.”

shuichi sounds weak, but he makes sure to try and sound as firm as possible— and in that moment, he finds that — he wants to be reliable. maybe that’s why he’s being so insistent. he could rely on amami-kun, after all. in all these new places, all the new experiences— there had been one sure constant that had made him feel he was never truly lost—

and that had been amami-kun.

the green haired boy in question blinks, but he laughs, and shuichi wonders if he had said something wrong. had his thoughts been read? 

a blush rises on his cheeks, and there’s a hint of fondness in amami’s own smile.

“maybe it would have, yeah? but we’re partners, saihara-kun. think you can rely on me a little.”

huh?

_partners?_

shuichi’s heart flutters, and his blush deepens. the sincerity in which amami says it makes shuichi want to hear it again.

amami’s smile is a easy one, as always, but the corners of his eyes are crinkled up in fond amusement, from the laughter that had sounded bright, lifting up shuichi’s own feelings despite him wondering if it had been at his own expense. any tenseness in amami’s posture seems to have leaked out. shuichi wonders what he’s thinking.

“know that i chose you to come around the world with me, so i rely on you a lot. but we’re traveling together now, aren’t we? know i can be a little … distracted at times, but you don’t have to try to take on every thing yourself. “

ah… , travel partners. shuichi now manages to put everything in context, but what amami’s saying in itself still seems fantastical. 

“mean it when i say we’re in this together.”

…

“…saihara-kun?”

… 

there’s only a lot of thoughts going through shuichi’s mind, and amami’s tone drops back to concerned. shuichi opens his mouth, but finds no words coming out. he’s not sure how to respond. 

how could he? when his cheeks are still red, and he’s parsing the words. and shuichi’d thought that he’d relied on amami a lot— and he does. but he’d never considered that amami’d thought the same, and trying to make sense of what he wants to say is difficult on a pounding head and queasy stomach.

“… you’re burning up, aren’t you.”  
“ah, no, i—”

shuichi’s really not. he feels alright, sans the sickness. amami only laughs a little, rubbing the back of his head before … hesitating, then moving over to help shuichi stand.

“no excuses. alright. lets get you to bed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> amami, while hesitating: should i bridal carry saihara-kun?? no?? maybe that's too much too fast, it's not like shuichi can actually be bisexual, haha, ok lets support him and see if he can walk first


	3. stargazing.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> stargazing -- humans have always told stories.

the bite of the air makes the stars clearer than ever, as they look up into the night that had been ever changing— saihara still struggles to find polaris, but if one asked him to find a reassuring constant in all the new skies he’d been under in the past few weeks, he’d look not up to the constellations, but at the boy next to him. it’s easy, to determine what saihara deems as important in his life, now. he falls in love rather easily— perhaps that’s one of his vices. it’s not a bad thing. but maybe it meant that he easily trusted certain people — it could easily be said that saihara shuichi was quick to see logic, but it didn’t mean he didn’t feel emotions, either. 

“did you find it yet?”

amami’s amused voice sounds from beside him. shuichi blinks, mind refocusing onto the present— the fire at their feet snaps playfully, sending specks of light up into the sharp winter air.

“ah, i … think i did, but …”  
“but?”  
“… it looks a little lopsided, so maybe it’ s not it.”

it's .. .probably not it. but shuichi’s hand stretches out to his left, up into the sky— pointing at two fairly bright stars. 

“over there. i’m… guessing that’s gemini… that’s castor, that’s pollux,”

hands drawing out a figure what he thinks to the the gemini figure, but faltering when amami doesn’t speak. his hands shrinks close to himself in uncertainty.

“… amami-kun?”

when shuichi looks to the adventurer next to him, amami finally seems to burst out in bright laughter. shuichi feels the burn of red climbing up to his cheeks— if they’d been red from the bite of the cold before, it wasn’t now. amami’s laughter peters off, and shuichi frowns.

“… you didn’t have to laugh at me.”

amami looks taken aback, before he makes a sound that’s half nervous, half a laugh.

“sorry, yeah? wasn’t that. was more …”

amami tilts his head— then pulls himself up. shuichi naturally sits up with, though it takes him a moment of embarrassed silence-- amami’s smile is rather bright, brighter than any star in the sky. if someone asked shuichi to find that instead of a constellation… shuichi thinks he would have done so more happily.

“here. let me show you, yeah?”

a beat of silence, and shuichi is now completely red for a different reason , as amami’s arm wraps around shuichi’s shoulders. he pulls shuichi near, and shuichi fits snug into amami's side. the adventurer's face leans close, as he attempts to line up shuichi’s line of vision with his. his free hand points up into the sky.

“the stars you were pointing at are betelgeuse and rigel.”   
“a..ah…”

amami’s low voice is pleasant, overly so. amami's cheek is warm, amami's breath is warm-- and amami smells like ... home. despite the warmth flooding his heart and the warmth of the fire, shuichi’s breaths come out in puffs, as does amami’s— their breaths mingle, then dissipate. he thinks he can hear amami's heartbeat. his whole body stills. 

“pretty far apart, yeah? can see orion’s belt in the middle. up from betelgeuse, you can see his club of bronze.”

to shuichi — it feels like the stars shine under amami’s guidance, sliding neatly into place where they hadn’t before. from nothing comes a story, a tale— one that amami tells deftly. a map of legends unfolds itself, the ones that adventurers of long ago entertained themselves with, and one amami continues to tell now.

amami's hand glides over the sky, drawing lines; an architect of the sky, pointing out every star of their january night-- easily finding the twins, the dogs that chased at orion's heels, the bull that the hunter raised his club against-- capella, aldebaran, procyon... the names blur as amami says them, but shuichi finds a way to remember them with amami's voice.

the vast story of the heavens had never felt so intimate until now--

_\-- and never so short._

the tale ends with polaris, the most important star in their northern night sky-- though, amami muses, that if they were in the southern hemisphere right now, it might be a different story.

amami releases shuichi from his embrace far too soon. hand falling down — and for a moment, shuichi sees the history of the stars alight in amami’s own irises, containing their shine from a million years ago. time stops with shuichi's own breath, as he gazes at the adventurer- perhaps tonight was a night of details. the details of being human -- of sharing stories and tales, and the details of amami himself-- the adventurer that had held history in his own gaze countless times, treading a path that many seldom took— traversing around the world, a living document of human relationships and culture. amami was uncontainable. was amazing— 

and yet he’d let shuichi into his life.

amami drops his gaze to meet shuichi’s, and now amami holds shuichi in his own sight. 

“pretty easy, yeah? once you get the hang of it.”

amami's words are almost lost on him. shuichi smiles a soft smile, in response to amami’s own.

“…yeah. you made it easy to understand.”  
“haha… did i?”

awkward laughter, and amami reaches for a stick. a few hand movements effortlessly corralls any wooden stragglers back into the fire.

“you did.”

shuichi reassures, and amami’s smile is brighter — amami laughs easily, soon falling silent into comfortable silence. the fire makes conversation, crackling at both of them, before amami stands up.

“well. think we should get to sleep now. have some distance to cover tomorrow. a few more kilometers north and we should be at our destination. feel like you might like a warm shower after a long while out here.”

a hand and a softer smile is offered to shuichi. shuichi takes the hand, standing up and smiling back. a warm shower... would be nice. their hands linger before parting. amami laughs, a little abashed— hand going to rub at the back of his head. 

amami’s own smile and the stars light the night softly, and shuichi's heart easily finds his way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slaps this lil baby out 
> 
> amami rantaro be real challenge my hands and feet are cold


	4. for business.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> business relations are a pain.

the chandeliers from the ceiling, the gilded shine of the receptionist’s desk— the bellhop’s uniform and manners are impeccable, and shuichi feels like he’s stepped into being royalty. he feels significantly underdressed, ragged and weary that he is, the backpack he’d been lugging around cutting into his shoulders and his shirt all crumpled up from travel and lack of need to straighten it— shuichi had tried, of course, but it hadn’t really mattered in the end when they were romping through snow covered forests. 

it’s a whole new world, a whole new place to be; and shuichi regrets not dressing better for the role. _“you’ll see when we get there,”_ amami’d said with clouds hanging in his expression. the sound of doors between them being closed had felt so final— that shuichi’d had to try and clear the air, put a foot in the door of emotion before’d it slammed fully shut. 

“amami-kun,” 

shuichi’d started carefully, taking cautious, tiny steps with a quiet voice.

he’d hesitated, before continuing--

“we’re partners, remember?”

tension filled silence, thinning with time as the seconds dragged it along— shuichi waiting for the response, waiting for the crack snap of icy frigidness in amami’s gaze in case he’d overstepped a line. it doesn’t quite occur to him that amami would never react in that way.

… amami cracks a small smile, eyes flickering back to shuichi’s from the point he’d been staring off at, arms loosening as he sighs. hands come up, face up, as he half shrugs. 

“… haha. sorry. just something… personal, yeah?”

shuichi… can’t help but blink.

“amami-kun, what we’ve been doing… looking for your sisters… is… nothing but personal. you can talk to me.”  
“touche.”

a wry smile, and short laughter.

“not trying to keep it from you.”  
“…”

shuichi’d wondered what it was, but maybe amami’d noticed the cogs turning in his brain, trying to piece it together. sometimes — it felt like amami knew all of shuichi’s details. a sigh, then putting his hands on his hips as he smiles a bit dryly.

“think you know my dad… runs a company.”

amami starts off as carefully as shuichi’d did, but his voice sounds more detached and distant, as his eyes focus elsewhere yet again.

“heard i was in the area of a potential client. wanted me to check it out. we should be fine. just have to head north. ”

north, towards polaris. through forests and star filled nights. 

and now—

“amami-kun…”

shuichi starts, feeling much out of place— but it’s overridden with awe, dazzled at the extravagant interior. the limo’d they’d come in leaves the premises. that alone’d been a hint, but befuddlement had come first, deductions pushed to his subconsciousness. 

amami breaks the awestruck silence first with a laugh. it’s a little quiet. 

“sorry for not warning you.”  
“no, it’s fine. i’m just… surprised.”

a small smile, maybe a bit relieved, flickers on amami’s face— but in the moment that shuichi smiles back, amami’s smile shifts. it doesn’t take long for shuichi to realize that someone had stepped close to them. amami’s emotions dissolve quick — to easy, pleasant… and guarded.

it’s not a smile that shuichi wants to see on amami’s face. 

“young master.”  
“klein. haha… said you can drop the formalities.”

amami’s hand goes behind his neck, laughing — then falling into a small smile of usual pleasantness. the butler that had stepped close is as hard to read as amami, his non-expression conveyable even through his thick mustache. 

“your father would disapprove of me doing so.”

klein doesn’t beat an eye, even at amami’s insistence. amami sighs.

a golden child in a golden world, held to a higher standard— shuichi suddenly sees how terribly lonely this gilded world is.

“your room has been prepared.”

bellhops await for amami to take off his backpack into waiting arms, but amami only seems to wave them away, shaking his head. 

“i’ll manage myself. thanks, though. might want to give my friend some help though.”

amami glances back at him, and the gaze is a second too long impersonal— but it melts into a small kind of fondness, reminding him that despite all the coldness of this world that had dawned on shuichi, amami was still amami. it was foolish to think otherwise. 

“can you arrange a separate room?”

amami asks, but shuichi steps in without much thought, after shaking his head to the bellhops offering to take his backpack off.

“ah, no. i wouldn’t want to…”

… his voice peters off as eyes train on him. he shakes his head before finding his resolve again. he’s an outsider, but…

“i… wouldn’t want to inconvenience you.”  
“it would not be one.”

met with the professional icyness of klein’s tone, shuichi’s mouth feels dry. he swallows and searches for the words.

“ah…”

there’s really no need to continue on.

“… think he said he doesn’t want another room. can arrange one if we end up being too cramped, yeah?”

amami’s voice is pleasant as always. but shuichi’d long since heard it enough to hear the subtle difference in intonations, and this one was firm, unbudging, despite its smile; a resolve unwavering, even in the littlest moments. it’s moments like these that makes shuichi’s heart skip a beat, no matter how simple it was. to have someone stand up for him…

“’s fine, klein. will tell you if it gets to be too much.”

easing into gentleness. amami’s unconscious skill in conversation is a weapon.

“… very well.”

the ease that shuichi feels when klein turns around is massive. his spine had straightened a bit unconsciously, and it slumps back now. 

“sorry about that.”

amami says, smile a bit embarrassed.

“been hired pretty recently. he’s one of the junior butlers in the household.”

junior…?

“he’s hard working, even if i say he can slack off…. though i guess i’m just a kid in his eyes in the end, so it doesn’t matter.”

…

“just… how many butlers… do you have, amami-kun…?”  
“… at minimum… ten…?”  
 _“…ten…?”_

the shock must have been obvious— because amami laughs, stepping into the elevator after klein. 

“operate in a lot of different countries. have a couple stationed around the world. not sure why my dad operates it this way, but he does.”  
“ah…”

the scale of richness … the extravagance. to imagine amami living in it for so long… shuichi wonders if amami’d ever been alone. having someone with him at all times… perhaps that’s why he traveled. maybe. shuichi couldn’t claim to know. 

the elevator ride is quiet as they ride up— stopping at the top most floor. the door at the end of the hallway, down a lush red carpet — the softness and the luxury is of levels that shuichi could never have claimed to know until now.

and even now… he doesn’t know it. he’d just… experienced it. he wonders how many times amami had walked these halls.

maybe as a kid? maybe as a teenager? where had amami’s childhood been, exactly? had parts of it been scattered across the world, with no singular home to speak of…? all of amami’s sisters were step sisters, after all. how many mothers had amami had…?

shuichi… didn’t know.

“saihara-kun?”

amami’s voice startles him out of his thoughts.

“sorry. klein was telling you that we only have a single bed, yeah? ‘s pretty big, but i can sleep on the floor.”  
“my deepest apologies. if you still need a different room, you need only ask.”

klein looks absolutely unruffled by the incident, but he does sound apologetic.

“or perhaps we can get another bed in the room, should young master and his guest prefer it.”  
“ah? no, that’s… i’ll sleep on the floor… or the couch.”

shuichi vetos klein’s suggestions a bit too quickly, and amami’s as well— he’s the guest here, after all. what guest deprived a host of their beds…?

“…yeah. don’t think that’s happening.”

though the host apparently thought it acceptable that his guest do so.

“don’t have to be so selfless all the time. saihara-kun. people might take advantage of it.”  
“ i don’t think this is being _selfless,_ amami-kun…”

… shuichi’s voice dies down. 

the door swings open, and beyond it laid the blue blue sky— the large expanse of the glass window that made up the far wall almost feeling non existent, as if shuichi could reach out from the living room and touch the sky. the cold winter sun hits the cityscape, shines off the layers of snow. the streets and buildings glitter. klein slides the keycard in its designated place and electricity comes to life-- shining the entrance to the room with soft light.

perhaps amami had noticed the awe struck expression, because he only laughs and gestures inside--

“after you, shuichi. think we’ll never reach an agreement, standing out here. just come in, yeah? we’ll figure something out.”

— and when shuichi hesitates, gently pulls him into the room after stepping in himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hahaha there's only one bed what will they do. two boys sharing a hotel room 10 feet apart because they're not gay
> 
> start of a 4-7 part arc.


End file.
